Jackets four goals are not enough as Perry scores hat trick for Ducks

After expending a ton of energy in a 1-0 win in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, the Blue Jackets had to regroup quickly for last night’s tilt in Anaheim. The Ducks came hard out of the gate, and Columbus dug itself a first-period hole that was too deep to climb out of.

Corey Perry netted a hat trick and helped the Ducks overcome the loss of goaltender Jonas Hiller in a 7-4 win before 13,053 at Honda Center. Anaheim led 4-1 after the first period and chased Blue Jackets starter Steve Mason from the net, scored a quick goal in the opening seconds of the middle period and hung on at the end to preserve the win. Rick Nash scored a pair of goals for the Blue Jackets, his team-leading 13th and 14th tallies of the season.

The Blue Jackets got back on their heels in the opening minutes as the Ducks’ forecheck attempted to pin them in their own zone. Off the rush, defenseman Luca Sbisa shot the puck toward the goal and the rebound lay in the slot for Andrew Cogliano, who buried it top-shelf for a 1-0 Ducks lead at 2:14. After killing a minor penalty, the Blue Jackets got their game together but not before Perry got loose for his first of the evening. Bobby Ryan’s lead pass hit Perry streaking through the zone, and his wrister from the right circle beat Mason for a 2-0 lead.

It became an eventful affair in the latter stages with a spirited bout between Jared Boll and Sheldon Brookbank, a fight which gave the Blue Jackets some life in the third period. Nash’s second of the game cut the Ducks lead to 6-3 at 4:27 and with less than six minutes to play, Anaheim defenseman Sheldon Brookbank took a major penalty for elbowing and put Columbus on a five-minute power play down a pair of goals.

There were chances in the final minutes but the Blue Jackets couldn’t strike on the power play to edge closer. The final game of their four-game road trip is Tuesday night in Chicago.

Teemu Selanne’s goal to open the second period was one that took some wind out of the Blue Jackets’ sails. Columbus came out of the locker room in the second period looking to cut into Anaheim’s 4-1 lead, but Selanne struck on a 2-on-1 just 27 seconds into the stanza. It was a tough one to take for the Blue Jackets and their comeback efforts, but they managed to rebound and get back in the game in the third period.

Columbus is now 20-18-4 all-time against Anaheim, including a 9-9-3 mark at Honda Center.

Nash has multi-goal games in two of the past five games after scoring twice tonight. He has scored 10 goals the last 22 games after being held to four goals the first 19 games of the season. He has collected 10-7-17 the last 22 games after being held to 1-3-4 the previous 10 games. In 32 career games against the Ducks, he has 18-14-32.

Vinny Prospal picked up his first assist in six games with two helpers tonight. He has points in two of the last three games after being held pointless the previous four games. In his last 17 games, he has recorded 2-9-11, while dating back to last season, he has 17-36-53 his last 70 games.

Derick Brassard snapped a four-game goalless skid with his fifth of the season tonight. He has tallied 3-5-8 the last 13 games after being held to 0-1-1 the last 12 games and 2-2-4 the first 20 games of the season. In 12 career games against the Ducks, he has 5-3-8.

Derek Dorsett snapped a seven-game goalless skid with his eighth of the season tonight. He has six goals the last 16 games and has 7-2-9 the last 26 games after opening the season with 1-0-1 the first 13 games.